System and method for minimizing thermal pole tip protrusion

ABSTRACT

An enhanced recording head design provides thermal diffusion and thermal expansion control in order to minimize the pole tip protrusion resulting from the thermal heating of the magnetic recording head during operation. In one embodiment, the recording head a thermal restraint section formed above a write section, and is made of a 60–80% face-centered-cubic NiFe (Invar) material. According to another embodiment, the thermal restraint section is formed under the read section. According to yet another embodiment, one thermal restraint section is formed above the write section, and another thermal restraint section formed under the read section.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates in general to data storage systems such as disk drives, and it particularly relates to a thin film magnetic read/write head for use in such data storage systems. More specifically, the present invention provides a method of incorporating an Invar composition and phase of a NiFe alloy into the magnetic recording head to provide a thermal diffusion and thermal expansion control in order to counteract undesirable pole tip protrusion resulting from thermal heating of the magnetic read/write head during operation.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In a conventional magnetic storage system, a thin film magnetic head includes an inductive read/write transducer mounted on a slider. The magnetic head is coupled to a rotary actuator magnet and a voice coil assembly by a suspension and an actuator arm positioned over a surface of a spinning magnetic disk. In operation, a lift force is generated by the aerodynamic interaction between the magnetic head and the spinning magnetic disk. The lift force is opposed by equal and opposite spring forces applied by the suspension such that a predetermined flying height is maintained over a full radial stroke of the rotary actuator assembly above the surface of the spinning magnetic disk. The flying height is defined as the spacing between the surface of the spinning magnetic disk and the lowest point of the slider assembly. One objective of the design of magnetic read/write heads is to obtain a very small flying height between the read/write element and the disk surface. By maintaining a flying height close to the disk, it is possible to record short wavelength or high frequency signals, thereby achieving high density and high storage data recording capacity.

The slider design incorporates an air bearing surface to control the aerodynamic interaction between the magnetic head and the spinning magnetic disk thereunder. Air bearing surface (ABS) sliders used in disk drives typically have a leading edge and a trailing edge at which thin film read/write heads are deposited. Generally, the ABS surface of a slider incorporates a patterned topology by design to achieve a desired pressure distribution during flying. In effect, the pressure distribution on the ABS contributes to the flying characteristics of the slider that control the flying height, pitch, yaw, and roll of the read/write head relative to the rotating magnetic disk. The read/write element generally is mounted at the trailing edge of the slider so that its forwardmost tip is generally flush with the ABS of the slider and is situated above the surface of the spinning magnetic disk by a small flying height typically of about 12.5 nm.

An exemplary magnetic read/write head includes a thin film recording head with a bottom pole (P1) and a top pole (P2). The pole P1 has a pole tip height dimension commonly referred to as “throat height”. In a finished write head, the throat height is measured between an air bearing surface (“ABS”), formed by lapping and polishing the pole tip, and a zero throat level where the pole tip of the recording head transitions to a back region. The pole tip region is defined as the region between the ABS and the zero throat level. This region is also known as a pedestal, which is an extension of the pole P1. Similarly, the pole P2 has a pole tip height dimension commonly referred to as “nose length”. In a finished recording head, the nose is defined as the region of the pole P2 between the ABS and the “flare position” where the pole tip transitions to a back region.

Each of the poles P1 and P2 has a pole tip located in the pole tip region. The tip regions of the poles P1 and P2 are separated by a magnetic recording gap, which is a thin layer of insulation material. During a write operation, the magnetic field generated by the pole P1 channels the magnetic flux from the pole P1 to the pole P2 through an intermediary magnetic disk, thereby causing the digital data to be recorded onto the magnetic disk.

During the operation of the magnetic read/write head, the magnetic recording head portion is typically subjected to various thermal sources that adversely cause ambient and localized heating effects of the recording head. One such thermal source is attributed to a heat transfer process to the magnetic read/write head from the effect of the spinning magnetic disk.

During a typical operation, the magnetic disk spins at a rapid rate of rotation, typically on the order of several thousands of revolutions per minute (RPM). This rapid rotation generates a source of friction of the ambient air between the ABS and the spinning magnetic disk, thus causing an elevation in the air temperature.

Furthermore, the heating of the motor that drives the magnetic disk causes an additional elevation of the air temperature. In totality, the ambient air temperature may rise from a room temperature of about 25° C. to as high as 85° C. Since initially the read/write head is typically at a room temperature, there exists a tendency for a heat transfer process to take place between the ambient air at a higher temperature and the read/write head at lower temperature. The heat transfer causes a rise in the temperature of the read/write head so as to promote a thermal equalization thereof with the ambient air temperature.

The temperature increase of the read/write head further causes a variant temperature distribution as a result of the thermal conduction of diverse materials that compose the read/write head. Since most wafer-deposited materials, such as those composing the poles P1 and P2, typically have greater coefficients of thermal expansion (CTE) than that of the substrate, the temperature increase effects a general positive displacement of the read/write head as well as a local pole tip protrusion beyond the substrate.

Additionally, the read/write head is also subjected to various sources of power dissipation resulting from the current supplied to the write coils, eddy current in the core, and the current in the read sensor. The power dissipation manifests itself as a localized heating of the recording head, thereby resulting in a temperature rise akin to the foregoing ambient temperature effect.

In a static test environment without the effect of the spinning magnetic disk, the localized heating may cause a temperature elevation of as high as 70° C. However, in an operating environment of a magnetic disk drive, the temperature rise resulting from the localized heating may be limited to about 40° C., primarily due to the alleviating effect of a convective heat transfer process induced by the rotating air between the pole tip region and the spinning magnetic disk. As a consequence of the localized heating, the temperature increase associated therewith further promotes an additional protrusion of the pole tip relative to the substrate.

A typical pole tip protrusion in a static environment may be about 30 to 35 nm. In an operating environment of a magnetic disk drive, the pole tip protrusion is reduced to a typical value of 7.5 nm to 12 nm. Since a typical flying height is about 12.5 nm, the pole tip protrusion associated with thermal heating of the recording head therefore presents a serious problem with a highly undesirable effect of a physical interference that causes the recording head to come into contact with the spinning magnetic disk. While a typical flying height may be about 12.5 nm, there are currently a significant number of low flying heads (e.g. less than 12.5 nm). In the future a steady evolution to lower flying height exacerbates this interference problem.

This contact with the disk causes both accelerated wear and performance degradation. The wear effect is due to abrasive contact between the slider and the disk. Pulling the softly sprung slider slightly off track impacts the track following capability of the recording device.

In an attempt to resolve the foregoing problem, a number of conventional designs of magnetic read/write heads incorporate the use of a material with a coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) that is lower than that of the substrate. Functionally, the low CTE material is generally used as an insulator between various metals in a conventional magnetic read/write head. An exemplary material used in a conventional magnetic read/write head is silicon oxide, SiO₂, which typically has a CTE of 2 parts per million.

In the presence of a temperature rise resulting from a thermal heating of the read/write head, such a material would tend to expand at a lower rate than the substrate, thus creating a thermally induced axial restraining force to develop between the material and the substrate. This restraining force effectively reduces the expansion of the substrate, thus tending to mitigate the natural protrusion of the pole tip.

While, in principle, the use of a material such as SiO₂ in a conventional read/write head appears to have resolved in part the foregoing problem with thermal heating of the read/write head, in practice, the application of the SiO₂ to the conventional read/write head does not produce a desired effect due to various adverse attributes associated with the SiO₂ material.

Among some of the problems with SiO₂ is its poor thermal conductivity, which generally impedes the heat extraction process from the surrounding material to the SiO₂ material. Thus, in spite of the low CTE associated therewith, the low thermal conductivity of SiO₂ does not sufficiently reduce the temperature rise of the pole tip region. Therefore, the pole tip protrusion is not adequately reduced with the use of SiO₂.

Another problem with SiO₂ is the lack of elasticity associated with its ceramic characteristics. Thus, in the presence of the thermally induced axial restraining force, the accompanied shear stress developed at the interface of SiO₂ and the surrounding material tends to promote a delamination of the SiO₂ material, thus posing a reliability problem for the read/write head of a conventional design.

In recognition of the problems associated with the use of SiO₂ in a conventional read/write head, some alternative materials have been proposed but have not been entirely successfully applied to a read/write head. As an example, while these materials such as Cr, W, possess higher thermal conductivities than SiO₂, they are not readily available for deposition and patterning in a recording head at a wafer-level process, and the foregoing problem of pole tip protrusion has heretofore remained unresolved.

Thus, it is recognized that there still exists an unfulfilled need for an enhanced design of a recording head that provides a thermal diffusion and thermal expansion control in order to minimize the pole tip protrusion resulting from a thermal heating of the magnetic recording head during operation. Preferably, the enhanced design utilizes a more suitable material having a near-zero CTE for controlling the expansion of the recording head, a high thermal conductivity for extracting heat away from the pole tip region, and an elastic compatibility with the substrate for preventing delamination. Moreover, the new design should be incorporated into a conventional recording head at a wafer-level process without substantial modification to the existing structure of the recording head.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The enhanced recording head design satisfies the foregoing need by providing thermal diffusion and thermal expansion control in order to minimize the pole tip protrusion resulting from the thermal heating of the magnetic recording head during operation. According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the enhanced design features the use of a 60–80% face-centered-cubic NiFe material (or other magnetic materials showing the “Invar Effect”), that is incorporated into a thermal restraint layer to be deposited onto the pole P2 layer of the recording head.

The mechanical and thermal properties of face-centered-cubic Invar, such as near zero CTE and high thermal conductivity, make this material suitable for providing the necessary mechanical retention, to control the pole tip protrusion of the recording head in a manner such that:

1. The near zero CTE of the thermal restraint layer creates a restraining shear force that counteracts the thermal expansion of the pole tip region of the recording head; and

2. The high thermal conductivity enables the thermal restraint layer to extract the thermal sources from the recording head, thereby diffusing the temperature distribution therewithin.

In an alternate embodiment, the Invar material used in the thermal restraint layer may be replaced by another material of similar mechanical and thermal characteristics. In another alternate embodiment, the thermal restraint layer may be deposited under the shield S1 layer of the read head. The use of the thermal restraint layer achieves a substantial reduction in the pole tip protrusion of the recording head of the present invention.

In summary, according to one embodiment, the recording head includes a thermal restraint section formed above a write section and made of a 60–80% face-centered-cubic NiFe material. According to another embodiment, the thermal restraint section is formed under the read section. According to yet another embodiment, one thermal restrain section is formed above the write section and another thermal restrain section is formed under the read section.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The features of the present invention and the manner of attaining them, will become apparent, and the invention itself will be understood by reference to the following description and the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a data storage system utilizing a read/write head of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a head gimbal assembly comprised of a suspension, and a slider to which the read/write head of FIG. 1 is secured, for use in a head stack assembly;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged perspective view of a thin film read/write element, with the top yoke removed, that forms part of the read/write head of FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a prior thin film read/write element;

FIG. 5 another cross-sectional view of the prior thin film read/write element of FIG. 4, shown undergoing a thermal expansion process that results in a pole tip protrusion;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the thin film read/write element of FIG. 3, taken along line 6—6, shown incorporating a thermal restraint layer deposited over pole P2 according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the thin film read/write element of FIG. 6, shown undergoing a thermal expansion process that results in reduced pole tip protrusion;

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of a thin film read/write element incorporating a thermal restraint layer deposited underneath shield S1 of the read head section, made according to an alternative embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of a thin film read/write element incorporating a first thermal restraint layer deposited over the write pole P2, and a second thermal restraint layer deposited underneath shield S1 of the read head section, made according to another alternative embodiment of the present invention.

Similar numerals in the drawings refer to similar elements. It should be understood that the sizes of the different components in the figures might not be in exact proportion, and are shown for visual clarity and for the purpose of explanation.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 illustrates a disk drive 10 comprised of a head stack assembly 12 and a stack of spaced apart magnetic data storage disks or media 14 that are rotatable about a common shaft 15. The head stack assembly 12 is rotatable about an actuator axis 16 in the direction of the arrow C. The head stack assembly 12 includes a number of actuator arms, only three of which 18A, 18B, 18C are illustrated, which extend into spacings between the disks 14.

The head stack assembly 12 further includes an E-shaped block 19 and a magnetic rotor 20 attached to the block 19 in a position diametrically opposite to the actuator arms 18A, 18B, 18C. The rotor 20 cooperates with a stator (not shown) for rotating in an arc about the actuator axis 16. Energizing a coil of the rotor 20 with a direct current in one polarity or the reverse polarity causes the head stack assembly 12, including the actuator arms 18A, 18B, 18C, to rotate about the actuator axis 16 in a direction substantially radial to the disks 14.

A head gimbal assembly (HGA) 28 is secured to each of the actuator arms, for instance 18A. With reference to FIG. 4, the HGA 28 is comprised of a suspension 33 and a read/write head 35. The suspension 33 includes a resilient load beam 36 and a flexure 40 to which the head 35 is secured.

The head 35 is formed of a slider 47 secured to the free end of the load beam 36 by means of the flexure 40, and a read/write element 50 supported by the slider 47. The slider 47 can be any conventional or available slider.

In the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 2, the read/write element 50 is mounted at the trailing edge 55 of the slider 47 so that its forwardmost tip is generally flush with the ABS of the slider 47. In another embodiment according to the present invention more than one read/write element 50 can be secured to the trailing edge 55 or other side(s) of the slider 47.

With reference to FIG. 3, the read/write element 50 integrates a read head 61 and a write section 160 incorporated into a recording head of the present invention. The read section 61 is formed of a first shield layer (Shield 1) 80 preferably made of a material that is both magnetically soft and thermally conductive. An insulating layer 82 is formed over substantially the entire surface of the first shield layer 80 to define a non-magnetic, transducing read gap 87. The read section 61 is also comprised of a read sensor 83 formed within the insulation layer 82. The read sensor 83 can be any suitable sensor, including but not limited to a magnetoresistive (MR) element, a giant magnetoresistive (GMR) element, a spin valve, or a Current In the Plane mode (CIP) sensor.

The read section 61 is also comprised of a second shield layer (Shield 2) 85 that is made of a magnetically soft and thermally conductive material, which may be similar or equivalent to that of the first shield layer 80. The second shield layer 85 is formed over substantially the entire surface of the insulating layer 82.

The write section 160 is comprised of a first pole layer or bottom pole P1 (also referenced by the numeral 90) that extends from the ABS to a back gap behind the last turn of a write coil 94. The bottom pole P1 or 90 is made of magnetically soft material, and may be for example purpose only, similar or equivalent to that of the first shield layer 80. In the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 3, the second shield layer 85 and the first pole layer P1, 90 are illustrated as being the same layer. It should however be clear that according to another embodiment of the present invention, the second shield layer 85 and the first pole layer P1, 90 can be independently formed and separated by an insulation layer therebetween.

A read circuit (not shown) is typically connected to independent leads (not shown), such that during a read mode the read circuit sends a sensing electric current IR through the sensor 83 and the shield S2.

A pedestal 120 is formed on the first pole layer 90, from the ABS to a back face 125 that defines a zero throat level with extreme accuracy. The pedestal 120 is surrounded by a pedestal region. The zero throat level lies in a well defined plane that is generally parallel to the plane of the ABS, which in turn is co-planar with the forward face 140 of the pedestal 120. In a preferred embodiment, the pedestal 120 extends only to a zero throat with a pedestal height (“ph”) ranging from approximately 0.5 to approximately 3 microns (μm). The pedestal height is also referred to herein as “the throat height.”

The write coil 94 includes a plurality of multi-turn conductive coil elements (or conductors) 94A, only a few of which are illustrated also form part of the write section 60. The coil elements 94A are formed within an insulating layer 95. The write coil 94 can have two, four or more turns as required, typically 6 to 12 turns, to generate the desired write field. According to another embodiment of the present invention, the write coil 94 may have a multi-layer design, with typically 1, 2, or more layers.

A second pole layer or top pole P2 (also referenced by the numeral 96) is made of a magnetically soft material that can be similar or equivalent to that of the first shield layer 80 and the first pole layer 85. The second pole layer 96 is formed over, and is separated from the pedestal 120, to define a write gap 98 therewith. The thickness of the second pole layer 96 can be substantially the same as, or similar to that of the first shield layer 80. The write gap 98 can be filled with a material similar or equivalent to that of the insulating layer 82.

An insulating layer 112 is deposited between the write gap 98 and the bottom pole P1, and extends from the throat position adjoining the pedestal 120 to the back surface over substantially the entire length of the write coil 94. The insulating layer 112 is made of an insulating material, which may be similar or equivalent to that of the insulating layer 95.

For a better appreciation of the features of the present invention, it might be important to describe a conventional read/write element 460 of the prior art. Referring now to FIG. 4, the read/write element 460 is comprised of a write section 461 and an insulating layer 152. The write section 461 is generally similar in structure and design to the write section 160 of FIG. 3.

Referring now to FIG. 4, it illustrates a conventional read/write element 460 that includes an insulation layer 152. The insulation layer 152 is formed on the top pole P2 and extends from the ABS to the trailing edge surface 92 over substantially the entire surface of the write section 160. The insulation layer 152 can be made of any suitable material, for example, alumina (Al₂O₃), aluminum oxide or silicon nitride. The outer surface 154 of the insulation layer 152 is generally flat and parallel to the bottom surface 156 of pole P1 (90).

With reference to FIG. 5, as the conventional read/write element 460 operates in a magnetic disk drive 10, the pole tip region of the write section 160 would be flying over the surface of the spinning magnetic disk 14. The gap between the ABS and the surface of the magnetic disk 14 is typically referred to as a flying height (or fly height), which is precisely controlled to maintain a desirable distance of the pole tip relative to the surface of the magnetic disk 14. Typically, the flying height is about 12.5 nm by design in order to achieve an optimal magnetic flux induction during recording and to also maintain a safe distance so as to prevent any catastrophic, physical contact between the conventional read/write element 460 and a spinning magnetic disk 14.

During operation, the conventional read/write element 460 is subjected to a thermal heating emanating from various thermal sources, such as air friction, motor heating, and power dissipation from the read head 61. This thermal heating accompanies a rise in the temperature by about 40° C. Since initially the read/write element 460 is at room temperature, the temperature differential thus necessitates a heat conduction process, which is then taken place to distribute the temperature within the conventional read/write element 460.

As each of the various components of the conventional read/write element 460 registers a temperature increase, it undergoes an elongation of varying degree in accordance with its specific CTE. Thus, in general the pole tip region of the conventional read/write element 460 is caused to protrude outwardly toward, and in closer proximity to the surface of the magnetic disk 14, resulting in a reduction in the flying height.

Furthermore, the top insulating layer 152 of the conventional read/write element 460 and the substrate material (not shown) generally have a greater CTE than the materials forming the read/write head. During the thermal expansion process, the highly expanding layers of the read/write head are mismatched in length with the substrate and overcoat resulting in laminar strains and stress between the layers. The final outcome is an undesirable protrusion of the pole tips toward the magnetic disk (or data storage medium) 14. As a result, the flying height of the read/write element 460 is substantially reduced to nearly zero, increasing the likelihood of a catastrophic, physical contact between the conventional read/write element 460 and the spinning magnetic disk 14.

In order to address the foregoing serious design concerns of the conventional read/write element 460, it is recognized that the thermal expansion of the write section 160 should be controlled, so as to reduce the pole tip protrusion. To this end, the present invention reduces the temperature rise within the write section 160. More specifically, the present invention introduces a thermal sink/thermal contractor design that substantially reduces the temperature rise in the read/write element. Accordingly, this novel design feature is incorporated into the write section 160 of the read/write element 460, to introduce a novel read/write element 660 of the present invention.

FIG. 6 illustrates one embodiment of the read/write element 660 of the present invention. The read/write element 660 is comprised of a write section 160 and a thermal sink comprised of an overlay thermal retainer section 662. The write section 160 is generally, but not necessarily, similar in function and design to the write section 160 that has been described earlier in connection with FIGS. 4 and 5.

The thermal retainer section 662 is formed at a distance above the top pole P2 of the write section 160, over substantially the entire surface of the write section 160. The thermal retainer section 662 is comprised of a thermal restraint layer 664 that is sandwiched between an inner insulating layer 667 and an outer insulating layer 668.

The inner insulating layer 667 is generally composed of a suitable material, such as alumina (Al₂O₃), by means of a known or available deposition process. The inner insulating layer 667 extends from the ABS to the trailing edge surface 92, over substantially the entire surface of the write section 160.

Similarly to the inner insulating layer 667, the outer insulating layer 668 is generally composed of a suitable material, such as alumina (Al₂O₃), by, for example, the same or different deposition process, following the formation of the thermal restraint layer 664. The outer insulating layer 668 extends from the ABS to the trailing edge surface 92 of the write section 160, over substantially the entire surface of the thermal restraint layer 664. The outer surface 170 of the outer insulating layer 668 is generally flat and parallel to the bottom surface 156 of the bottom pole P1.

The thermal restraint layer 664 is formed by deposition over the inner insulating layer 667, prior to forming the outer insulating layer 668. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the thermal restraint layer 664 is made of a suitable material that provides the required thermal diffusion and thermal expansion control, in order to counteract undesirable pole tip protrusion resulting from thermal heating of the read/write element 660 during operation. The material of choice for the preferred embodiment is known as Invar (or NiFe Invar).

NiFe Invar is a metallic alloy of nickel and iron or NiFe. An exemplary form of NiFe Invar material used in the preferred embodiment of the present invention is the 60–80% face-centered cubic NiFe. The face-centered cubic (FCC) metallurgical designation refers to the physical arrangement of the atoms within the physical structure of the alloy. Specifically, the FCC arrangement is one by which the metallic lattice structure is formed by eight atoms at each corner of an imaginary cube and six additional atoms located at the centers of the six faces of the cube.

In its usual form, NiFe Invar typically possesses a body-centered cubic (BCC) arrangement, whereby the metallic lattice is formed by eight atoms at each corner of the cube and one additional atom at the center of the cube. By selectively controlling deposition conditions, an FCC phase of NiFe between 60 and 80% can be deposited over the inner insulating layer 667 to form the thermal restraint layer 664.

FCC NiFe Invar possesses certain desirable mechanical and thermal properties that enable the thermal restraint layer 664 to achieve the objective of reducing the pole tip protrusion of the write section 160 in accordance with the present invention. In particular, due to the magnetic nature of this material, the FCC NiFe Invar possesses a near zero CTE over a temperature range from −30° C. to +130° C., excellent elasticity, high thermal conductivity, and good adhesion, all of which make it a material of choice for the thermal restraint layer 664. The advantages afforded by its near zero CTE and high thermal conductivity will become more apparent in a further detailed description in connection with FIG. 7.

The thermal restraint layer 664 is deposited upon the inner insulating layer 667 and is recessed from the ABS by a distance or recess 674 ranging between approximately 0.5 and 10 um. The recess 674 is designed to prevent the delamination of the thermal restraint layer 664 due to the otherwise displacement incompatibility between the inner insulating layer 667 and the thermal restraint layer 664 at the ABS. Furthermore, the recess 674 also prevents corrosion resulting from exposure during slider processing. The good elasticity and adhesion properties of the FCC NiFe Invar further improves the retention of the thermal restraint layer 664.

With reference to FIG. 7, the read/write element 660 is illustrated after it has been subjected to a thermal heating emanating from various operation-related thermal sources, such as air friction, motor heating, and power dissipation from the read head 61. Such thermal heating could result in a temperature rise of the read/write element 660 by approximately 100° C.

Since the FCC NiFe Invar is a good thermal conductor, the thermal restraint layer 664, acting as a thermal sink, diffuses the heat within the read/write element 660. The high thermal conductivity of the thermal restraint layer 664 thus diffuses the temperature distribution within the write section 160 to maintain a lower temperature rise than that of the conventional read/write element 460. Accordingly, this lower temperature rise results in a smaller pole tip protrusion of the read/write element 660 than that of the conventional read/write element 460 (FIG. 5).

Furthermore, because of its near zero CTE, the thermal restraint layer 664 is dimensionally invariant under thermal heating. Thus, as the write section 160, the inner insulating layer 667, and the outer insulating layer 668 undergo a thermal expansion; albeit at a much lower degree than the conventional read/write element 460; the invariance of the thermal restraint layer 664 effectively creates a restraining interlaminar shear force 673 to further reduce the protrusion of the pole tip region of the read/write element 660.

According to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the resulting pole tip protrusion of the read/write element 660 could range between approximately 1 and 3 nm, which represents a substantial improvement over a typical 12 nm pole tip protrusion of the conventional read/write element 460.

It should be understood that FCC NiFe Invar is one of the materials usable in the preferred embodiment. Alternatively, various alternate embodiments of the present invention can be derived from the use of a material with similar mechanical and thermal properties as FCC NiFe Invar.

Referring now to FIG. 8, it illustrates a read/write element 860 made according to an alternative embodiment of the present invention. The read/write element 860 is comprised of a read head section 61, a write section 160, and a thermal restraint layer 864. The read head section 61 and the write head section 160 are respectively similar in function and design to the read head section 61 and the write head section 160 of FIGS. 3–5.

The thermal retainer 864 is generally similar in function and design to the thermal restraint layer 664 of FIGS. 6 and 7, but its location differs. The thermal restraint layer 864 is situated on the read head section 61 side of the read/write element 860, as opposed to the write head section 160.

The deposition of the thermal restraint layer 864 is preceded by the deposition of an inner insulating layer 866 adjacent to, and underneath the first shield layer 80. The thermal restraint layer 864 is then deposited underneath the insulating layer 664, followed by the deposition of an outer insulating layer 868 underneath the newly formed thermal restraint layer 864. Similar to the recess 674, a recess 874 is formed between the thermal restraint layer 864 and the ABS.

The read/write element 860 of this alternative embodiment provides a similar functionality as read/write element 660 of FIGS. 6 and 7. The thermal restraint layer 864 creates a restraining shear force to counteract the natural protrusion of the pole tip region of around the read section 61, and concurrently diffuses the temperature distribution within the read section 61 to reduce the temperature rise, thereby further mitigating the pole tip protrusion.

FIG. 9 illustrates yet another thin film read/write element 960 according to an alternative embodiment of the present invention. The read/write element 960 incorporates a first thermal restraint layer 664 that is deposited over the write pole P2, with a recess 674, as described earlier in connection with the read/write element 660 of FIGS. 6 and 7. In addition, the read/write element 960 incorporates a second thermal restraint layer 864 that is deposited underneath shield S1 of the read head section 61, with a recess 874, as described earlier in connection with the read/write element 860 of FIG. 8. This alternative design enables the control of the protrusion at more than one location, allowing for an accurate control of the flatness of the ABS.

It should be understood that the geometry, compositions, and dimensions of the elements described herein can be modified within the scope of the invention and are not intended to be the exclusive; rather, they can be modified within the scope of the invention. Other modifications can be made when implementing the invention for a particular environment. 

1. A recording head with thermal diffusion and thermal expansion control, comprising: a write section; an insulation layer formed over the write section; a thermal restraint section formed within the insulation layer, at a predetermined distance from the write section; and wherein the thermal restraint section is formed of a face-centered-cubic (FCC) metal alloy being a thermal conductor having a coefficient of thermal expansion of FCC NiFe invar or lower to provide mechanical retention for controlling undesirable pole tip protrusion of the recording head.
 2. The recording head of claim 1, wherein the thermal restraint section is made of NiFe Invar.
 3. The recording head of claim 2, wherein the thermal restraint section is made of a 60–80% face-entered cubic NiFe.
 4. The recording head of claim 1, wherein the thermal restraint section has a thermal conductivity that enables the thermal restraint section to diffuse temperature distribution within the recording head.
 5. The recording head of claim 1, wherein the thermal restraint section is formed over substantially the entire surface of the write section.
 6. The recording head of claim 5, wherein the thermal retainer section divides the insulation layer into an inner insulating layer and an outer insulating layer.
 7. The recording head of claim 6, wherein the inner insulating layer is composed of alumina.
 8. The recording head of claim 6, wherein the outer insulating layer is composed of alumina.
 9. The recording head of claim 1, wherein the thermal restraint layer is recessed from an air bearing surface by a predetermined recess distance.
 10. The recording head of claim 9, wherein the recess distance ranges between approximately 0.5 and 10 μm.
 11. The recording head of claim 1, wherein the write section is comprised of a first pole layer P1 and a second pole layer P2.
 12. The recording head of claim 1, wherein the recording head further comprises a read section.
 13. A recording head with thermal diffusion and thermal expansion control, comprising: a write section; an insulation layer formed over the write section having a first coefficient of thermal expansion; a thermal restraint section formed within the insulation layer, at a predetermined distance from the write section; wherein the thermal restraint section has a second coefficient of thermal expansion that is less than the first coefficient of thermal expansion, to create a restraining force that counteracts undesirable pole tip protrusion of the recording head.
 14. The recording head of claim 13, wherein the thermal restraint section is made of a face-centered-cubic metal alloy.
 15. The recording head of claim 13, wherein the thermal restraint section is made of NiFe Invar.
 16. The recording head of claim 15, wherein the thermal restraint section is made of a 60–80% face-centered cubic NiFe.
 17. The recording head of claim 13, wherein the thermal restraint section has a thermal conductivity that enables the thermal restraint section to diffuse temperature distribution within the recording head.
 18. The recording head of claim 13, wherein the thermal restraint section is formed over substantially the entire surface of the write section.
 19. The recording head of claim 18, wherein the thermal retainer section divides the insulation layer into an inner insulating layer and an outer insulating layer.
 20. The recording head of claim 19, wherein the inner insulating layer is composed of alumina.
 21. The recording head of claim 13, wherein the outer insulating layer is composed of alumina.
 22. The recording head of claim 13, wherein the thermal restraint layer is recessed from an air bearing surface by a predetermined recess distance.
 23. The recording head of claim 22, wherein the recess distance ranges between approximately 0.5 and 10 μm.
 24. The recording head of claim 13, wherein the write section is comprised of a first pole layer P1 and a second pole layer P2.
 25. The recording head of claim 13, wherein the recording head further comprises a read section.
 26. A recording head with thermal diffusion and thermal expansion control, comprising: a write section; an insulation layer formed over the write section; a thermal restraint section formed on the insulation layer, at a predetermined distance from the write section; and wherein the thermal restraint section is formed of a face-centered-cubic (FCC) metal alloy being a thermal conductor having a coefficient of thermal expansion of FCC NiFe invar or lower to introduce a thermal sink/thermal contractor design that substantially reduces temperature rise in the recording head.
 27. The recording head of claim 26, wherein the thermal restraint section is made of NiFe Invar.
 28. The recording head of claim 26, wherein the thermal restraint layer is recessed from an air bearing surface by a predetermined recess distance.
 29. A recording head with thermal diffusion and thermal expansion control, comprising: a read section; an insulation layer formed on a first side of the read section, the insulation layer having a first coefficient of thermal expansion; a thermal restraint section formed within the insulation layer, at a predetermined distance from the read section; and wherein the thermal restraint section is formed of a material having a coefficient of thermal expansion of FCC (face-centered-cubic) NiFe invar or lower and that is less than the first coefficient of thermal expansion to create a restraining force that counteracts undesirable pole tip protrusion of the recording head.
 30. The recording head of claim 29, further comprising a write section.
 31. The recording head of claim 30, wherein the thermal restraint section is formed over substantially the entire surface of the write section.
 32. The recording head of claim 29, wherein the thermal restraint section is made of a 60–80% face-centered cubic NiFe.
 33. The recording head of claim 29, wherein the thermal retainer section divides the insulation layer into an inner insulating layer and an outer insulating layer.
 34. The recording head of claim 29, wherein the thermal restraint layer is recessed from an air bearing surface by a predetermined recess distance.
 35. The recording head of claim 34, wherein the recess distance ranges between approximately 0.5 and 10 μm.
 36. A recording head with thermal diffusion and thermal expansion control, comprising; a write section; an insulation layer formed over the write section; a thermal restraint section formed within the insulation layer at a predetermined distance from the write section and recessed from an air bearing surface by a predetermined recess distance; and wherein the thermal restraint section is formed of a face-centered-cubic (FCC) metal alloy being a thermal conductor having a coefficient of thermal expansion of FCC NiFe invar or lower to introduce a thermal sink/thermal contractor design that substantially reduces temperature rise in the recording head. 